Support for christmas trees and the like



March 1, 1955 r L. ZAMIEROWSKI 2,703,213

SUPPORT FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND THE LIKE Fiied March so, 1953 3nventor LEON ZAMIEROWSKI (Ittorneg United States Patent SUPPORT FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND THE LIKE Leon Zamierowski, Erie, Pa.

Application March 30, 1953, Serial No. 345,599

4 Claims. (Cl. 243,-44)

.This invention relates generally to supports and more particularly to supporting bases or feet for supporting Christmas trees.

In supports for Christmas trees which were made according to previous designs, no provision was made for supporting a tree in a vertical position when the trunk of the tree was bent or crooked. Furthermore, many of the previous types of supports were not readily adapted to be readily dismantled for storage and transportation purposes.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the above and other defects in Christmas tree supporting devices and more particularly to provide a Chrlstmas tree supporting device which will be economical to manufacture, simple in construction, and efficient in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a Christmas tree supporting foot wherein the base of the tree can be supported in a difierent vertical plane than the main trunk of the tree.

Another object of my invention is to provide a Christmas tree supporting base wherein the lower portion of the base of the tree can be moved in two directions with regard to the main trunk of the tree.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Christmas tree supporting device wherein the lower end of the tree can be immersed in a receptacle containing water or other fluid.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a Christmas tree supporting foot according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of a Christmas tree supporting foot; and

Fig. 3 is a top view of another embodiment of my invention.

Now with more specific reference to the drawing, I show a Christmas tree supporting foot or base 1 having upwardly and outwardly extending legs 2, 3, and 4. The legs 2, 3, and 4 are bent outwardly at 5, 6, and 7, respectively, to form the flat floor engaging members 8, 9, and 10, respectively. The floor engaging members 8, 9, and have the holes 11, 12, and 13, respectively, formed therein which are adapted to receive studs, bolts, screws, nails, or similar fastening means to attach the base to a floor, box, or other supporting means or rubber pads or similar resilient members could be attached to these floor engaging members to protect the floor of a dwelling house or other supporting surface from being marred by possible abrasion of the floor engaging members.

A metal section is bent at 16 in V-shape to provide the legs 17 and 18. The V-shaped member 15 and the plate 23 make up a clamp member. The leg 17 is bent outwardly at 19 to form the outwardly extending member 20 and the leg 18 is bent outwardly at 21 and terminates in the outwardly extending end 22. A flat plate 23 has holes 24 and 25 formed therein. The threaded bolts 26 and 27 extend through the holes 24 and 25 and through the hole 28 in the member 20 and the hole 29 in the member 22 to hold the members 15 and ice 23 together. The bolt 26 has the head 30 which engages the outer surface of the member 20 and a wing nut 31 threadably engages the bolt 27. The bolt 27 has the head 32 which engages the end 22 of the member 15 and a wing nut 33 threadably engages the bolt 27.

The legs 3 are held to the leg 17 of the V-shaped member by means of bolts 35 and 36 which extend through holes 37 and 38 in the upper end. The bolts 35 and 36 have the heads 39 and 40 attached thereon and the nuts 41 and 42 threadably engage the ends of the bolts 35 and 36 to hold them in place in the leg. The bolts 43 and 44 have threads to engage the nuts 45 and 46. The bolts 43 and 44 are provided with heads 146 and 47, respectively, which cooperate with the nuts 45 and 46 to hold the leg 4 to the leg 18 of the V-shaped member.

Suitable holes are drilled to accommodate the bolts 35, 36, 43, 44, 48, and 49. Nuts and 51 threadably engage the bolts 48 and 49 and heads 52 and 53 are formed integral with the bolts 48 and 49. The nuts 50 and 51 and the heads 52 and 53 cooperate with the bolts 48 and 49 to hold the leg 2 to the member 23.

The brace 54 has holes drilled at the end thereof to receive the bolts 55 and 56 and the bolts 57 and 58. The bolts 55 and 56 are provided with the heads 61 and 62. The bolts 57 and 58 are'provided with heads 162 and 63. The member 54 is channel shaped in cross section and has a web 64 integrally attached to the top flange 65 and the bottom flange 66. A longitudinal slot 67 extends longitudinally in the web 64 and receives the bolts 68 and 69 which extend through the brace 70 in the holes formed therein. The bolts 68 and 69 have the heads 71 and 72 integrally attached thereto and the1 wing nuts 73 and 74 threadably engage the bolts 68 an 69.

The leg 2 has the member 75 stamped out from the aperture 76 and the member 75 is allowed to remain integral with the-leg 2 at 77. The brace 70 is bent back on itself at 78 to form an eyelet 79 to receive the bolt 80 which extends through the hole 81 in the member 75 and through the eyelet 79 in the brace 70. A nut 82 is threadably engaged on the bolt 80 and a head 83 is integrally attached thereto. From an inspection of the drawing, it will be seen that the bolt having the head 83 and the nut 82 cooperating therewith will hold the brace 70 in rigid and pivotal engagement with the member 75. A longitudinal slot 84 is provided in the brace 70 to accommodate the bracket 85 which has a circular formed portion 86 for receiving the base of a tree and has the ends 87 and 88 disposed in parallel relation and having holes 89 and 90 formed therein to receive the bolt 91 which has a head 92 formed thereon and is threadably engaged by the wing nut 93 which cooperates with the head 92 in the bolt 91 to clamp the bracket 85 to the base of a tree. A hole 94 is bored in the bracket 85 and the bolt 95 extends through the hole 94 and the slot 84 and can be locked by means of the Wing nut 96 which cooperates with the head 97 to hold the bracket 85 in the desired location on the brace 70. A pan or dish 98 may rest on the floor of supporting means at 99 to contain water or other fluid and to receive thebase of the tree.

It will be noted that a tree which has a crooked trunk may be erectly supported in the supporting base shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by loosening the wing nuts 41 to allow the member 23 to move outwardly on the bolt 26 until the tree trunk can be slid down between the members 15 and 18. When the lower end of the tree trunk has been disposed in the water pan 98, the wing nuts 31 can be replaced on the bolts 26 and the trunk supported in that position. Then the nut 93 on the bolt 91 can be loosened until the tree trunk can be slid through the bracket 85. The nut 96 can then be loosened and the bolt 95 slid in the slot 84 and the nuts 73 and 74 can be loosened and the bolts 57 and 58 can he slid in the slot 67 until the upper part of the trunk of the tree is in a vertical position. Then the nuts 73, 74, 93, and 96 can be tightened and the nuts 31 and 33 can be retightened to hold the tree rigidly in this position.

It will be noted that the radius of curvature of the brace member 54 is equal to the length of the brace 70 between the pivot point represented by the bolt 80 and the bolt 68, Therefore, the brace 70 will swing around in the channel 54 without binding and be freely pivoted on the bolt 80.

In order to avoid removing lower branches on a tree, the member 23 can be completely removed and the lower branches extended outward below the member and then the plate 23 can be replaced, thereby preserving the lower branches of the tree.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3, I show another embodiment of the trunk supporting member. The leg members 117 and 118 correspond to the legs 17 and 18 in Fig. 1 and the plate 123 corresponds to the plate 23 in Fig. 1.

Holes 128, 129, 130, and 131 are formed in the leg members 117 and 118 and holes 124 and 125 are formed in the member 123. The bolts 126, 127, and 228 are disposed in the holes indicated and the bolt 126 is provided with the head 230 and a wing nut 231 threadably engages the bolt 126 whereby the end 120 of the member 117 is urged toward the member 123 to support the trunk of a tree. The bolt 127 is provided with a wing nut 133 and a head 132 and the end 122 is engaged by the head 132 and urged toward the member 123 by the wing nut 133. The bolt 228 has the head 140 thereon and a wing nut 141 is threadably engaged on the bolt 228 to urge the members 144 and 1'45 of the members 1 17 and 118 toward each other.

From this description of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, it will be apparent that the trunk engaging member shown therein will have more versatility in use on certain trees than the member shown in Fig. 1.

In the foregoing specification, I have set forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but I am aware that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is; I

l. A support for a tree comprising a V-shaped member, a plate attached to said V-shaped member, outwardly and downwardly extending legs attached to said V-shaped member and to said plate, brace means to support said legs, said brace means comprising a first brace pivotally attached to an intermediate place on one leg and a second brace attached to an intermediate point on each of the other legs, said first brace being attached to said second brace, a longitudinal slot in said first brace, and a tree supporting bracket slidable in said longitudinal slot.

2. A support for a tree comprising a V-shaped member, a plate attached to said V-shaped member, outwardly and downwardly extending legs attached to said V-shaped member and to said plate, brace means to support said legs, said brace means comprising a first brace attached between two of said legs and a second brace pivotally attached to another leg at a pivot point and to said first brace, said first brace being bent in an are centered on the pivot point between said second brace and said other leg, said second brace being slidable on said first brace, and a tree base supporting bracket adjustably attached to said second brace.

3. A support for a tree comprising a V-shaped member, a plate attached to said V-shaped member, outwardly and downwardly extending legs attached to said V-shaped member and to said plate, brace means to support said legs, said brace means comprising a first brace attached between two of said legs and a second brace pivotally attached to said other leg at a point, said first brace being bent on a radius centered on said pivot point, a longitudinal slot in said first brace, a bolt slidable in said slot and adapted to lock said second brace to said first brace and engaging said second brace, a slot in said second brace, and a bracket having a bolt attached thereto, said bolt extending through said longitudinal slot.

4. A support for a tree comprising a clamp member adapted to embrace the trunk of a tree, outwardly and downwardly extending legs attached to said clamp member, brace means to support said legs, said brace means comprising a first brace attached between two of said legs and a second brace pivotally attached to another leg at a pivot point and to said first brace, said first brace being bent in an are centered on the pivot point between said second brace and said other leg, said second brace being slidable on said first brace, means to lock said second brace to said first brace, and a tree base supporting bracket adjustably attached to said second brace.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,026,097 Lewis May 14, 1912 1,073,531 Schneider Sept. 16, 1918 1,886,198 Krueger Nov. 1, 1932 2,518,421 Freel Aug. 8, 1950 2,556,460 Ballam et al June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 73,349 Sweden Mar. 31, 1930 542,220 France May 13, 1922 

